The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Dade City approves visitor’s center design

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Dade City Commissioners have narrowed in on a design for a new visitor’s information center building that’ll help round out Roy Hardy Trail trailhead — and serve as an important component for a future multi-use park near Church Avenue in the downtown area.

Commissioners on Aug. 25 unanimously selected a preferred design option that was favored by nearly 62% of residents in an online survey.

The visitor’s information center is being funded with the help of a $250,000 grant from the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

The visitor’s information center will generally match the look of the surrounding Church Avenue neighborhood, which commonly features homes with wood siding, columns and brick embellishments. The 1,380-square-foot building will feature informational kiosks and mobile displays for all county tourism amenity partners, and showcase exhibits from local artists and museums. (Courtesy of the City of Dade City)

Plans call for a 1,380-square-foot open floor plan with two family bathrooms that meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

The interior space will feature informational kiosks and mobile displays for all county tourism amenity partners. There also will be a third-party vendor space to provide maintenance, information sharing and security. The space also can be used to showcase exhibits from local artists and museums.

The center’s exterior will generally match the look of the surrounding Church Avenue neighborhood, which commonly features homes with wood siding, columns and brick embellishments; the building will be painted with a historic color palette of amber, copper red and black.

The building also will be accompanied by two porches and a bike rack — its location designed to offer easy access off the Hardy Trail for riders and exercisers to gather and rest.

The final building design, however, might take on a few more minor tweaks. Commissioner Scott Black expressed a desire to incorporate some elements of the former Seaboard Airline Depot, a Mediterranean-style structure that was once located northeast of the site. Any changes will likely apply to lighting fixtures, decorative elements and benches that can give the feel of a depot and railway platform, city officials say.

The project’s budget will next be finalized by staff and commissioners. Construction is expected to begin in January following the approval of submitted building permits.

Commissioners in May approved a design-build project bid with Dade-City based Borregard Construction Inc.

Mayor Camille Hernandez described the visitor’s center as “a major part” of a proposed downtown community park that’ll someday be “a destination in our town.” The center will be situated at the northeast corner of the 2.23-acre park property that could eventually feature a water splash pad, playground, event lawn and walking path, among other amenities.  “We certainly want it to become something that we’re all very proud of,” Hernandez said.

Published September 02, 2020

COVID-19 pandemic revives drive-in movie theaters

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While 2020 is becoming known as the year of COVID-19, it also is being associated with a revival in the popularity of drive-ins.

Once a mainstay of entertainment for families, couples and friends, drive-in theaters have mostly fallen by the wayside over the years.

The Allen family, of Lutz, including, from left, Joshua, Hayley, Cannan and Taylor, enjoyed watching a movie together at pop-up drive-in at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (Kelli Carmack)

But, Joy-Lan Drive-in and Swap Shop, in Dade City, has held on.

For nearly 70 years, it has given locals a chance to watch outdoor movies on a giant screen.

“Drive-ins are so fun because each one you go to is very different… It’s a unique experience for everyone who goes,” said Chip Sawyer, president of Sun South Theaters, which owns Joy-Lan, and Silver Moon Drive-In, in Lakeland.

Sawyer, a drive-in enthusiast, took over the business in 2017, after his grandfather Harold Spears — the original owner — passed away.

From left: Paige Atkinson, Nicholas Hazivasilis, Delaney Young, Matthew Hazivasilis and Makayla Legrand like getting together at the Joy-Lan Drive-In, in Dade City.

He’s thrilled to see so many people coming out to drive-ins.

Joy-Lan Drive-In, which is Pasco County’s last remaining drive-in theater, presents a slice of nostalgia. Music from the ’50s plays, as movie-goers pull into the lot and get ready to view the film.

Paige Atkinson, one of those patrons, has been watching movies at Joy-Lan for years.

“It’s a nice get together for my big group of family and friends,” Atkinson said. “Plus, you get to stay in the comfort of your own car and bring whatever you want.”

Families can bring snacks, spread out on blankets or settle into their lawn chairs — to escape to the world of the movies, under a starry sky.

While Joy-Lan is maintaining a long-held tradition, other drive-in movie options have popped up during the pandemic.

The drive-in movie screenings at the Walmart Supercenter in Wesley Chapel were ‘sold-out’ for two nights in a row. Registration was free, but the store capped the number of vehicles allowed to attend the event. The screenings on Aug. 18 and Aug. 19 were part of Walmart’s traveling tour to bring drive-ins to over 160 Walmart Supercenters nationwide.

Walmart is conducting a nationwide traveling drive-in theater tour to 160 Walmart Supercenters.

The tour included a stop at the Walmart Supercenter in Wesley Chapel on the nights of Aug. 18 and Aug. 19 to screen the movies “Spy Kids” and “Selena.”

The movies were free, but required guests to register, and the store capped attendance.

To keep people safe, Walmart strictly enforced social-distance guidelines, social-distanced parking spaces, and required those attending to remain inside their vehicles.

At another local venue, Floodgates Church hosted a drive-in theater night on Aug. 15 at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

Tom and Lisa McConnell, teachers at River Ridge High School, had a fun date night at Joy-Lan. Besides celebrating Lisa’s birthday, they scratched an item off their bucket list: They’d been wanting to come to Joy-Lan for several summers.

“We wanted to give some love and outreach to our community, and give people who have been cooped up in their homes a chance to get out,” said Pastor Kenton Brake, who leads the Lutz church.

Families of all ages came out to watch the Disney film “Up.”

Whether sitting in their cars, on the roof of their vehicles, or spread out on the grass with their dogs — the event had a communal feel, as movie-goers shared laughter and experienced a sense of normalcy — during the midst of a global pandemic.

The pastor said the church team wasn’t sure what to expect, so it was greatly encouraging, when they saw the parade of cars that arrived.

“All the positive comments we got that night was very rewarding,” Brake said.

Will the movies ever be the same?
When the pandemic forced movie theaters to go dark in March, it was unclear when — or if — they would reopen. AMC Theatres reported a $2.17 billion loss in the first quarter, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The national movie chain began reopening on Aug. 20, charging patrons 15 cents, for that one day only. It remains to be seen whether movie-goers will return in vast numbers, or if concerns about potential spread of COVID-19 keep them away.

Joy-Lan Drive-in and Swap Shop, offers outdoor movies that attract families, couples and groups of friends.
Where: 16414 U.S. 301, Dade City
When: Screenings are Wednesday through Sunday, with the first movie starting at 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $6 for adults, and $2 for kids ages 4 through 9, and are good for two screenings.
Info: JoyLanDriveIn.com

Published September 02, 2020

Carriage House set to get $155,000 facelift

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A notable piece of Zephyrhills history is set to be restored — in hopes of boosting Zephyrhills’  main street corridor, while preserving a landmark of the city’s storied past.

The Zephyrhills City Council has approved a $155,000 project to renovate the Carriage House — a two-story wooden structure connected to the Historic Jeffries House, at 38537 Fifth Ave.

The Jeffries House was built in 1910 for Capt. Harold Jeffries, the founder of Zephyrhills. Jeffries was responsible for bringing many Union Civil War veterans into the area. The house where he lived is a part of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The Carriage House is a two-story wooden structure connected to the Historic Jeffries House, at 38537 Fifth Ave. Renovation of the dilapidated building is part of an effort to beautify the downtown area and contribute to the preservation of other buildings within the Community Redevelopment Area district. (Courtesy of Gail Hamilton)

The council awarded the $155,000 construction contract to Zephyrhills-based Kerns Family Construction Company Inc.

The motion passed 4-1 during an Aug. 24 regular meeting, with Councilman Alan Knight dissenting.

The scope of the project includes myriad interior and exterior improvements to the dilapidated structure. The renovation includes new roof trusses, windows, lap siding, doors and second floor balcony. It also calls for replacing electrical wiring, plumbing, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, among several other enhancements. The project is expected to be completed in four months.

In voting against the project, Knight reasoned the Carriage House attachment should be bulldozed, with the money spent on other projects, such as sidewalk repairs, new playground equipment and sprucing up the Hercules Park property.

“I just can’t see putting $155,000 into that building,” Knight said.

Once the project is finished, the city plans to lease it out to a business tenant for around $1,500 to $2,000 per month.

But, Knight also noted, there’s plenty of other empty storefronts along “the main drag” of Fifth Avenue.

He said the city has failed to rent out the Jeffries House, which the city purchased for $110,000  in 2014 and renovated for $50,000 in 2016.

The building is currently utilized by the Zephyrhills CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) and nonprofit Main Street Zephyrhills Inc.

“We did the same thing with the Jeffries House, ‘Oh we’re going to lease it out,’ and we never leased anything out,” Knight said.

“I think we made a mistake,” he said.

While Council President Charles Proctor ultimately voted for the renovation contract with Kerns Construction, he sided with Knight’s sentiments about the project, in general.

“Personally, I would’ve liked to have just leveled it over, took the money and spend it on something else, but here nor there, we’re going to redo it and I do hope that it stays in budget, that’s my biggest thing,” said Proctor.

Other supporting council members reasoned that the undertaking is a long-term investment in the city’s historic downtown that will pay dividends in time.

“I totally understand where Councilman Knight is coming from, but I look at it more as like an investment in the downtown area, an investment and maintaining a historical building,”  Councilman Lance Smith said.

“I look at it as this was the property that the founder of Zephyrhills owned, and it should be worth saving, I would think,” he added.

Council Vice President Jodi Wilkeson, expressed support for saving the Carriage House, noting it’s worth the investment.

“This is a learning opportunity,” Wilkeson said. “It’s an opportunity to promote our downtown. It’s an opportunity to promote the Jeffries House, because right now it’s an eyesore (with the Carriage House). When it’s finished it’s going to be beautiful…”

As a bonus, Kerns Construction will organize a series of public workshops at the Carriage House during ongoing construction — inviting residents to see how to complete restoration tasks, such as stripping floors and repairing windows. These “How To” activities also will be  live-streamed on various social media platforms.

“People are interested in that, and it’s attracting young people to our city, and it’s changing the demographic to our community,” Wilkeson said.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe also provided updates on several development projects:

  • City staff has submitted required documents to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road signalized intersection project.

Issues recently arose over the city’s selection of BRW Contracting Inc., a Land O’ Lakes company that isn’t on FDOT’s pre-qualified vendor list. Poe said “fingers are crossed, prayers are being said,” FDOT will approve the proposal and a forthcoming agreement will be on the city’s Sept. 14 meeting agenda. The intersection project is being funded via a $2.3 million appropriation included in this year’s state budget; the project has a seven-month construction timeline.

  • The bid letting process for the multimillion Country Road 54 enhancement project remains “on hold” until the city and Pasco County can reach an agreement on splitting costs for it. The scope of the project calls for various turn lanes, a signalized intersection and a multi-use path along a 1.31 mile stretch, generally from east of U.S. 301 to 23rd Street.
  • The city’s planning department is working on designs for the Kossick Road extension to Otis Allen Road, to help make way for the Zephyr Lakes single-family residential development. The city manager explained the idea is to tie in a four-lane road, but a large transmission pole may prevent that, “so we’re working on getting meetings scheduled with Pasco County and Duke Energy to see what can be done.”
  • The $4.9 million Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center final completion date is targeted for Sept. 29; the scheduling of a grand opening date is still to be determined.

Published September 02, 2020

Dispute pauses improvements to County Road 54

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Improvements to a portion of County Road 54 through Zephyrhills are on hold, as the municipality and Pasco County struggle to come to financial terms on the project.

The scope of the project calls for the following enhancements along a 1.31 mile stretch, from east of U.S. 301 to 23rd Street:

  • Additional signage and pavement markings
  • Left-hand turn lane at the Dairy Road intersection
  • Right-hand turn lane and new mast arms at Wire Road, turning onto 12th Street
  • Signalized intersection at 23rd Street
  • A 10-foot concrete multi-use path on the south side of County Road 54, and a 5-to-6-foot path on the north side of the road, plus associated drainage

How to split the cost of the $6.78 million project is the crux of the issue.

County staffers have asked the city to fund 50% of the project through an inter-local agreement. The roughly $3.35 million would be paid in installments, over three years.

An initial draft of the contract also calls for the city to agree to pay any cost overruns, in full.

For instance, if the project ends up costing, say, $7 million, the city would be responsible for the $22,000 difference from the engineer’s estimate of $6.78 million.

The Zephyrhills City Council balked at the proposal.

Council members called for a better deal, at the board’s regular meeting earlier this month.

Council members and city staff indicated the proposed agreement had come out of left field.

They said there wasn’t much or any input with them throughout the design/pre-engineering process.

The estimated cost was an eyeopener, too.

“I think we all had sticker shock,” Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said.

While the city put forth some money into the project’s design several years ago, council members were under the impression it was for a four-lane road extension, as opposed to turn lanes, traffic signals and adjacent multi-use trails.

Any improvements east of 20th Street are not in the city’s jurisdiction, officials noted, so the city should not be responsible for those costs. They also raised a question about whether those improvements are even necessary.

Another snag: The county had already gone to bid on the project before getting the city’s approval on the final agreement. The county later canceled that bid opening, Poe said.

Poe said the ongoing dilemma is that the project won’t be completed, unless the city participates in helping to fund the project’s entire scope — even the portion outside its jurisdiction.

City could do improvements on its own
The city’s other option is to take on the project itself and determine which areas along the roadway are most pressing for improvements, Poe said.

Council Vice President Jodi Wilkeson said work certainly is needed along the busy stretch of road.

She observed the area north of Zephyrhills High School, and south of Wire Road and 20th Street  has “pretty dangerous conditions” with heavy traffic.

Zephyrhills City Council Vice President Jodi Wilkeson (City of Zephyrhills)

“People are riding golf carts and walking on the grass there. People tend to ride on the street there because there is no sidewalk, there’s no bike lanes,” Wilkeson said.

However, Wilkeson, like others, expressed reservation about the project’s cost — “a significant percentage of our annual budget” — while also noting city residents have already been taxed by the county through Penny for Pasco for such infrastructure improvements.

She put it like this: “A million dollars a year (for three years) sounds like a lot of money, but honestly, my bigger concern is what kind of precedent are we setting with the county, if we begin to fund 50% of the projects that they’ve already taxed our residents?”

Councilman Lance Smith said some type of project needs to get done along the roadway, one way or another.

“It’s going to get bad,” Smith said. “That road’s bad at certain times of the day.”

Smith suggested his fellow council members extend an olive branch to Pasco County Commissioners, to direct their staff-level employees to negotiate in better faith.

“They’re just pushing us, trying to get us to sign this thing,” Smith said. “I think we need to reach out to them and tell them, ‘We will participate, but we’re feeling strong-armed into this thing right now, and it’s not what we originally talked about.’”

The councilman added the city has partnered well with the county on countless transportation projects in the past, including State Road 56, the Eiland Boulevard/U.S 301 intersection, Copeland Drive, Kossick Road, Simons Road, plus various frontage and reverse frontage roads.

Said Smith: “We do need to remind them of all these things we’ve helped them with in the past. Maybe we suggest, ‘Look, we’ve been good partners with the county and we want to continue to be good partners with the county, so we need some help. We need you to help us out.’”

With that, Smith is optimistic a deal can be struck.

“It’s going to take a little bit of time, that’s all,” he said.

While concurring with other council members, Council President Charles Proctor expressed frustration with the county for trying to take advantage of the city.

“All of a sudden they’re in this big rush for us to put in our portion and nothing’s even broken ground.

“We do have a good relationship with the county and I don’t want to ruin that relationship by any means, but I think it has to be fair for all involved, and I just feel like this was kind of shot at us real quick and we didn’t have a signed agreement, so I think we need to protect our own and look out for the citizens of our great city,” Proctor said.

Meanwhile, Councilman Alan Knight advised the city to take a “wait and see” approach before jumping into the multimillion dollar project with the county. “I think we have to look at it again, I really do,” he said.

Knight also proposed the city look into possibly taking on the project itself and make desired traffic improvements at the most troubled areas along the mile-plus long roadway — such as the Wire Road intersection.

“We could almost do that intersection just with our own money and not have to jump into three or four million dollars with the county,” Knight said.

In a follow-up interview with The Laker/Lutz News, the city manager said it could take several more meetings before a solution with the county is reached.

“It’s a big price tag, and so the message was relayed to Pasco County, so there’s still more conversations to be had,” Poe said.

Published August 26, 2020

Dade City Police seek raises, more resources

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As Dade City anticipates burgeoning commercial and residential development, the city’s police chief said the time is ripe for increased funding for his department.

Dade City Police Chief James Walters addressed the issue during a Dade City Commission budget workshop earlier this month.

Dade City Police Chief James Walters, right, with Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez (File)

Early projections put the police department’s budget at nearly $2.9 million for fiscal year 2020-2021. That represents roughly 44% of the city’s entire $6.51 million general fund.

The agency’s budget this year includes creating a detective sergeant class to assist with span of control and supervision; adding a new civilian position to handle crime scene property evidence; and replacing three police vehicles totaling $165,000. The department originally asked for four vehicles.

A broader issue, however, centers on base salaries and overall pay to the department’s sworn police officers.

As Dade City Manager Leslie Porter negotiates with the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association on behalf of the police department, Walters is asking commissioners to consider a “significant pay adjustment” for his police force. He also wants “equity” of police officers in relation to other city employees.

The starting salary for a sworn Dade City police officer is about $37,700, notably lower than other law enforcement agencies in Pasco County, Walters said.

He also stated that starting salary hasn’t changed for numerous years.

“The average pay for a police officer of deputy sheriff in Pasco County is $41,000. That’s not because some departments are paying $42,000 or $40,000, but rather, because we’re at $37,000 and most others are in the mid-40s,” Walters said.

He pointed to Zephyrhills, which is advertising a $44,500 starting salary for a patrol officer. And, he noted that figure is expected to be higher with Zephyrhills’ next budget.

The city’s growth is a factor, too, the chief said, saying hundreds, if not thousands, of new homes have been approved within city limits.

That comes at a time when the agency already is having a challenging time recruiting and retaining qualified sworn officers, Walters said.

Nick Marolda, president of the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association, touched on those issues without revealing information regarding the ongoing confidential negotiations.

“You’re spending thousands and thousands of dollars training these officers. They get great training, and then in about two years or three years, they look around and they see they’re the lowest (paid) in Pasco County, and they bail on you, and you lose all that money in training, and they go to another agency and you’ve got to start over again.

The Dade City Police Department has the lowest base salary of any law enforcement agency in Pasco County, at around $37,700. Dade City Police Chief James Walters and the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association are working to change that. (Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)

“The goal here is we’re trying to find good people and good officers to come to the department, and we’ve got to pay them for that, because it’s competitive,” Marolda explained.

The city’s police department has 23 sworn officers and about 40 total employees, which includes civilian personnel and part-time staffers.

While its police chief didn’t call for the addition of sworn officers in this year’s coming budget, it’s something he emphasized that commissioners must seriously address in coming years, until development levels out.

As of this year, the municipality had roughly 4,000 residential unit entitlements over the next decade — which means they are actively under construction or review.

“In order to provide the services this community has come to expect and deserve, the police department must grow as well,” he said.

“We are already seeing a tremendous increase in our calls for service, and the more calls for service that we have with the same number of officers, the less time there is to spend on direct speeding enforcement and community outreach and community-oriented policing,” Walters said.

Commissioners later voiced their support for the police department and the concerns raised by Walters, a 25-year veteran of the agency who’s served as chief since 2018.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Shive said the matter will be handled seriously by city leaders, and other commissioners echoed those sentiments.

Published August 26, 2020

Issues arise over contract for Zephyrhills project

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Construction on the much-anticipated U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection project in Zephyrhills is in jeopardy of being delayed.

At issue is a contract the city approved for the project, which is considered to be an important improvement to spur commercial development in Zephyrhills.

The city chose BRW Contracting Inc., a Land O’ Lakes company that isn’t on the Florida Department of Transportation’s pre-qualified vendor list.

Florida statute requires contractors to be prequalified with FDOT in order to bid for the performance of road, bridge or public transportation construction contracts greater than $250,000.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe (File)

The intersection project is being funded via a $2.3 million appropriation included in this year’s state budget.

The Zephyrhills City Council last month unanimously awarded the project bid and construction agreement to BRW Contracting, in the amount of $2,161,884.40.

The pre-qualification dilemma was brought up by Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe during an Aug. 10 council meeting. He characterized the issue as “a little bit of a hiccup.”

Poe told council members he’s heard conflicting reports from state officials on whether or not the requirement can be exempted for this particular project. He is awaiting final word from state transportation officials.

Further exacerbating the issue, BRW Contracting has indicated it’s not interested in going through the pre-qualification application process at this point, Poe said.

One possible solution could have been to fast-track that process if the contractor had agreed, the city manager said.

If FDOT doesn’t waive the pre-qualification requirement, the city likely will need to re-bid the project.

Besides delaying the project’s start date, Poe said there’s “a pretty good chance” that the new bids would come in higher. He estimated the difference could be as much as $500,000 to $1 million more.

“I don’t know the science behind that (cost) increase, but we know if we go out to bid, it’s not going to be cheaper,” Poe told council members.

Council president Charlie Proctor echoed that point: “My major concern is that it’s going to cost us a lot more money if we have to go out to bid. There’s just no doubt about it.”

The scope of project calls for the relocation of an existing signalized intersection from the shopping plaza entrance to Pretty Pond Road, a signalized intersection at Medical Arts Court, and all other required roadway improvements.

The addition of signalized intersections at these locations is designed to improve the mobility and serve as an economic driver for the northeast and northwest corners of Pretty Pond.

The area is expected to be home to a Chick-fil-A, Aldi, and a national hotel chain, among other businesses.

Construction was anticipated to get underway sometime before Sept. 1, with completion targeted for spring 2021.

Meantime, Poe has reached out to the offices of state representatives Randy Maggard and Wilton Simpson, as well as FDOT District 7 secretary David Gwynn, for additional guidance and other available options on the matter.

With that, he’s informing state leaders that BRW Contracting is a company the city has worked with previously and has confidence in. The contractor helped build out Simons Road, among other projects.

Should the city be forced to bid the project out again, Zephyrhills City Attorney Matt Maggard said canceling its contract with BRW Contracting shouldn’t present a legality issue.

But, he added:  “We really don’t want that to happen.”

Published August 19, 2020

Dade City Commission welcomes new planning board

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The Dade City Planning Board has added a new face, plus a few familiar ones to its dais.

Dade City Commissioners on Aug. 11 reappointed three board members whose terms recently expired, and approved a new at-large member to the agency’s group of seven.

Matthew Munz was approved to the Dade City Planning Board, as an at-large member. The Dade City resident is a project manager at Mead & Hunt, an architecture and engineering firm. He takes over for Knute Nathe, who vacated the seat after being elected to the Dade City Commission last month. (Courtesy of Matthew Munz)

The three reappointments are James Cosentino, Bermice Thomas and Joe Kennard.

Dade City native and resident Matthew Munz is the new at-large appointment.

Terms of each of the four appointments will expire April 2024. The other planning board members are Jimmy Miller, Davis Henley and Juliann Hale.

Munz, the newest addition, is a project manager for Mead & Hunt, an architecture design, engineering, environmental and construction administration services company.

He takes over the at-large seat previously held by new Commissioner Knute Nathe, who vacated the seat after being elected last month to the Dade City Commission.

“I enjoyed a great deal my tenure on the planning board. It can be thankless service, but it is service that is necessary to the city,” Nathe said.

With that, Nathe recommended Munz for the at-large seat, citing his experience as an engineer leading various water, wastewater, and stormwater projects in multiple stages of development — matters that go hand-in-hand with planning board responsibilities.

Fellow commissioners concurred, unanimously approving the recommendation.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez said Munz’s credentials “certainly are impressive” and his knowledge in development-related matters “should be an asset to the board.”

Hernandez noted that Munz sat through a four-plus hour commission meeting last month, underscoring his passion for community issues.

“If that ain’t dedication, then I don’t know what is,” Hernandez quipped.

Aside from professional experience, Munz also has deep-rooted ties to Dade City coming from a family of public servants.

His mother, Barbara Munz, was principal of Pasco Elementary School for 23 years.

His father, William Munz, was assistant county administrator for Pasco County throughout the 1990s.

Munz kept his comments brief following the appointment. “I look forward to being able to serve the city,” he said.

The city’s seven-member planning board also serves as the Local Planning Agency for quasi-judicial procedures, and also includes one member representative from Pasco County Schools.

The board meets monthly, or as needed.

Duties include transmitting recommendations to the commission regarding zoning district amendments, comprehensive plan amendments, variances, and conditional use permits.

On another matter, commissioners unanimously approved a final plat for Countryside, a 25-lot subdivision located on 5.72 acres east of U.S. 301 and adjacent to a busy block that includes a McDonald’s, O’ Reilly’s Auto Parts, Captain D’s and EZ Clean Car Wash, among other businesses.

The Countryside development has been in the works for some time.

Commissioner Scott Black noted the subdivision has been in entitlement ever since the city landed the McDonald’s location when he was a freshman in high school, roughly 40 years ago.

“It is rather interesting that the project is finally, after so many years, something is happening there,” he said.

The development has received some pushback due to potential negative traffic impacts in that area, including from former Dade City Commissioner Nicole Deese Newlon.

Budget transparency headed to city’s website
Local residents soon will be able to get an inside look at Dade City government’s spending and departmental operations, in real-time online.

Newly appointed Dade City interim finance officer Andrew Laflin told commissioners he’s rolling out a cloud-based budgeting transparency software program onto the city’s website, within the next month or two.

The new program, will allow users to view and navigate the municipality’s multi-year capital projects and budget actual data, with links to the city’s annual budget document and ongoing budget preparations. It also will provide updates and messages from the city’s various departments, he said.

The new online feature will “show really a whole lot of stuff,” Laflin said.

Mayor Hernandez applauded the initiative, especially at a time when the city is experiencing a wave of commercial and residential development.

“I think that’s excellent,” Hernandez said. “I love the fact that it’s not only going to be available to the commission, but it’s going to be available in real-time, so I’m excited. That sounds like a good addition to providing information and transparency to our residents and those in Dade City.”

Laflin has hit the ground running on budget preparations for fiscal year 2020-21 since being hired to provide consulting financial services a month ago.

Other items worth noting:

  • The Dade City Police Department announced the hiring of two new police officers — Christopher Amatruda, 35, and Ronny Rivera, 48.
  • Dade City’s public restrooms have reopened, accessible from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily.
  • Work is underway on the design of a visitor’s information welcome center building at the Roy Hardy Trail trailhead.
  • Pasco County issued a notice to proceed with a route study for the extension of Morningside Drive — to connect U.S. 301 to Fort King Road in Dade City.

Published August 19, 2020

Hercules Park upgrades under consideration

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As the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) preps its budget for fiscal year 2020-21, city leaders are calling for more attention to Hercules Park, a 9-acre city-owned park land property off Gall Boulevard.

Zephyrhills CRA director Gail Hamilton on July 27 probed the CRA Board of Commissioners —chaired by Zephyrhills City Council members — on which types of projects they want to have the highest priority in the upcoming year, noting the agency appears in good shape with funding this coming year.

The answer was unanimous: Hercules Park improvements are well overdue.

CRA board member Lance Smith was quick to declare it’s time to gather community input and organize an action plan for the vacant park land that once had a buzzing aquatic center and swimming pool.

He observed Hercules Park, adjacent to Zephyrhills High and Woodland Elementary schools, is visibly nestled in “a very high traffic” intersection that includes a Wawa gas station and Culver’s fast-food restaurant.

Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board of Commissioners is calling for needed improvements to Hercules Park, a 9-acre city-owned park land property off Gall Boulevard. Ownership of the land was transferred to the city from the Pasco County School Board in June 2018. The property has sat mostly idle for years. (File)

“I think we should really work on Hercules some, because it’s been sitting there,” Smith said. “I don’t think we have to spend a tremendous amount of money on it, but I do think we have to put together a plan for it.”

Fellow board member Charles Proctor agreed Hercules Park fixes are “a longtime in the coming,” since ownership of the land was transferred to the city from the Pasco County School Board in June 2018.

Even minor improvements would make it a desirable passive park for residents, he said.

His general idea: “Make it simple, but usable,” so that upkeep isn’t an ongoing burden for the city’s public works department.

“I don’t necessarily want to go crazy with it,” Proctor said, “but I would like to make it usable, so if somebody wanted to have a picnic there or walk the trails, because it is a beautiful piece of property, and at least so that citizens can use it.”

Board chair Jodi Wilkeson added work on the park should be handled in phases, starting with some routine cleanup, then later on identify more specific long-term goals and objectives for the park’s future.

Board member Ken Burgess likewise agreed to have the property “spruced up enough where we can utilize it, until we come up with a better, eventual plan for it on down the road.”

All that in mind, Hamilton assured various park fixes are on the table for discussion.

The CRA originally planned to hold a community meeting for park input, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused it to fall by the wayside. Hamilton instead plans to meet with the city’s parks board for further input, then present it to the CRA board and city council.

Some early possibilities include underbrush clearing and designing a more welcoming park entrance, as well as installing a park fountain, benches, tree underlighting, and colorful sailcloth. Adding an art piece that pays homage to the history of the property is another idea, too, she said.

The park land is a legacy from about 80 acres once owned by the Hercules Powder Co.

The company, which converted pine stumps into resin and turpentine, had been the city’s largest employer.

“I think it needs to look nice when people drive by, (so) it looks like we care,” Hamilton said. “We’ll create a plan, and work that plan.”

A sign of how the property has languished over the years:  Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield pointed out trees surrounding the park are covered in poison ivy.

Other CRA priorities for this budget cycle include installing wayfinding and gateway signage, sidewalk repairs and developing a public art master plan, among others.

The Zephyrhills CRA is a dependent special district in which any future increases in property values are set aside in a Trust Fund to support economic development and redevelopment projects within the designated district. Although it functions within the City of Zephyrhills, the Zephyrhills CRA is a separate and distinct legal entity. The Zephyrhills City Council also serves as the appointed board governing the Zephyrhills CRA.

The CRA district encompasses the center spine of the city, generally between Hercules Park to C Avenue, and from Zephyr Park to 17th Street. Within those boundaries are the following historic neighborhood districts: Hercules, Historic Jeffries, Historic Abbott, Moore’s Estate, Zephyr Lake, Oakside and Plaza.

Main Street events suspended until December
Elsewhere, Hamilton also mentioned all Main Street Zephyrhills events have been canceled until the end of December, due to COVID-19.

Main Street Zephyrhills is a 501c3 nonprofit that generally facilitates new business and organizes large events within the historic downtown district.

One of the nonprofit organization’s most popular annual events, Music & Motorcycles, will likely be rescheduled at a later date, once events are back in the fold, Hamilton said.

Guidelines from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) will be followed in making a determination of when events with large gatherings are safe to resume, she said.

“We don’t want to have an event that’s going to cause problems, so at this moment we are still monitoring the situation,” Hamilton told the board.

The Music & Motorcycles event is typically held in September and features a live band, and a 10-class ride-in bike show along Fifth Avenue in downtown Zephyrhills.

Other events impacted included the Veterans Day Parade, National Night Out, Halloween Howl and Festival of Lights.

Main Street’s new events coordinator is Paxton McCullough, a recent graduate from the University of Georgia. She takes over for Anna Stutzriem, who resigned in March after more than two years on the post.

The coordinator position is the organization’s lone city-funded employee position.

Published August 12, 2020

Dade City commissioners set tentative tax rate

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The City of Dade City has set its tentative millage rate at 7.14 mills for fiscal year 2020-2021 — the same property tax rate established the past several years.

Dade City commissioners voted unanimously to set the rate at a July 28 virtual meeting.

At 7.14 mills, ad valorem tax revenues in the city’s general fund are anticipated to generate about $2.04 million — an increase of $106,710 from last year, due to new construction, higher values due to property improvements, and so on.

Under state law, once a tentative millage rate has been set, the city cannot raise it before the start of the fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The commission does, however, have the option to reduce the rate before then.

Traditionally, the commission has voted to use the rollback rate as the proposed millage, while instructing city staff to later set a lower rate for a particular fiscal year; the rollback rate is the millage rate that would collect an equivalent level of ad valorem taxes in the next fiscal year as in the current fiscal year.

However, this year’s rolled-back rate  — 6.354 mills — is lower compared to prior years.

In effect, by setting the tentative millage rate at the higher 7.14, the city is able to help make up ground after a hospital property was taken off the tax rolls, which decreased the general fund upwards of $95,000 last year, explained Dade City Manager Leslie Porter.

Porter said the 7.14 millage rate “will help bring us back to where we were (revenue-wise) a couple of years ago.”

What usually is a rather laborious process to get commissioners to agree on a tentative property tax rate was a cut-and-dry scenario this time around, Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez pointed out.

“Traditionally, this has been a very long conversation because the numbers didn’t look like they do here this evening,” Hernandez said.

Meanwhile, commissioners have scheduled virtual workshops on Aug. 11, Aug. 18 and Aug. 25. Each meeting will begin at 4 p.m.

A tentative budget public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10 at 5:30 p.m.

Milestones recognized
Commissioner Scott Black was informally recognized a few months ago for his 30th year serving on the Dade City Commission.

Dade City Police officer Pete Emerson was recognized for 25 years of service. (Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)

The Florida League of Cities (FLOC) have since acknowledged Black’s milestone, sending a formal letter to the municipality, as well as mailing him a resolution and a service pin.

Normally, a FLOC representative will make a presentation during a commission meeting, but not this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Black, who’s been on the commission since 1990, thanked his colleagues for the additional recognition. “It’s been a pleasure to serve,” he said, “and it seems like just yesterday I started.”

Another career milestone also was shared during the meeting — as Dade City Police officer Pete Emerson was recognized for 25 years of service with the city.

Emerson is currently in his second stint as a school resource officer (SRO) at Pasco High School. He was the school’s SRO from 1997 to 2002, then returned to the role last year after having served in other department roles, including detective.

Underscoring Emerson’s longevity — newly sworn-in Commissioner Knute Nathe noted he was a student at Pasco High when Emerson was SRO.

The mayor took time to congratulate both Black and Emerson on their respective accomplishments: “Those are huge numbers and something very special and to be proud of, so thank you for your service to your community, and in Emerson’s case, keeping our young people safe over there (at Pasco High).”

Published August 05, 2020

Lawmaker talks state budget cuts, COVID-19

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State Rep. Randy Maggard made a special appearance at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting last month — updating constituents on issues that included state budget cuts, the COVID-19 pandemic, return-to-school plans and more.

During his talk, Maggard, who represents District 38 in the Florida House of Representatives, bluntly said East Pasco was fortunate to secure state funding for two projects.

Randy Maggard represents District 38 in the State House of Representatives. He spoke on a number of issues, during a special appearance last month at a Zephyrhills City Council meeting. (Courtesy of Florida House of Representatives)

Those projects survived, while other projects fell by the wayside as a result of $1 billion in budget cuts, achieved through line-item vetoes by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The governor made those cuts because state revenues were lower than expected, due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

The approved $92.2 billion budget, however, does include about $5.5 million for the Lacoochee industrial area right of way improvements and about $2.3 million for intersection improvements at U.S. 301/Pretty Pond and Medical Arts Court.

“We’re just happy to get what we did,” Maggard said. “At the end of the day, we felt we fared well compared to most (other districts).”

Other budget wins in Maggard’s book included the $500 million to increase teacher salaries across the state and the approval of the most comprehensive water bill in Florida history. That water bill includes: $322 million for Everglades Restoration; $50 million for springs restoration; $160 million for targeted water quality improvements; $40 million for alternative water supply; and, $25 million to combat harmful algal blooms and red tide.

Maggard said he hopes the state doesn’t need to undergo yet another round of budget cuts due to COVID-19, hurricane season or some other setback. Luckily, state reserves could help withstand some expected shortfalls, he said.

Maggard said the Legislature’s foresight to build up a reserve in the past has come in handy now.

He added: “What we’re praying is that we don’t have a bad hurricane season. Just having another knockout punch would not be good for our economy, and that’s what we’re concerned about, at the time.”

On the COVID-19 front, Maggard acknowledged the pandemic “just seems to be dragging on,” but noted a sliver of a silver lining.

The positivity rates for COVID-19 through Florida have hovered in the 10% range to 12% range, while experiencing marked decreases is some instances.

Maggard said Florida made headlines across the country when it recorded nearly 15,300 new coronavirus cases on July 12. That set a national record for any one-day period.

What media outlets failed to mention, Maggard said, is about 142,900 people were tested — representing a positivity rate of about 10.7%.

A few days before that, the state had reported 11,343 positive COVID-19 cases among 93,500 tests — correlating with a higher positivity rate of 12.1%, he said.

“It was a big number that dropped, but we’re testing more,” Maggard said, regarding the July 12 report.

“If you look at just the pure numbers, you would think, ‘Wow, this thing is spreading worse, and we’re in trouble,’” he said.

But, when “you look at it percentage-wise,” he said, “it’s not growing like the numbers sometimes show.”

And, that, he said, represents “a little bit of good news.”

The freshman lawmaker added the “largest spread” of the coronavirus comes from Florida bars and small breweries, so temporarily closing down those institutions was “just something that had to be done,” he said.

He also acknowledged the economic impact the decision had.

“It is affecting small business, and we understand that,” he said.

Maggard also emphasized  the importance of mask wearing and social distancing: “If you talk to your doctor, they will tell you. If we can just keep that practice, we can get over this hurdle, we really can just get it to stop. I think we can get out of this mess, and then we just need to pray for a shot like we do for the flu, then I’ll think a lot of this will just go away.”

On the much-debated topic of return-to-school plans, Maggard assured state leaders are studying “the smartest way” to handle an ever-changing situation, adding decisions are “based on science and numbers, and not emotion.”

However, he added there’s been “overwhelming” support to reopen brick-and-mortar school campuses for the 2020-2021 school year, particularly among Florida high schoolers.

“It’s funny, the majority of high school students we’ve reached out to are like, ‘Yeah, we want to go back to school,’” Maggard said. “Maybe staying at home with parents is not as fun as it used to be at the time; high school students are definitely for it.”

He also addressed one of the more well-documented issues that surfaced early in the wake of COVID-19: the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s difficulty in managing the massive volume of unemployment benefit claims.

Many of those problems have been resolved, Maggard said.

“There’s some people out there we’re still dealing with, but overall that number’s dropping, which has been good for us,” he said.

Published August 05, 2020